INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists is pleased to announce the Region 2 Mark of Excellence Award winners for the 2007 calendar year. This year, collegiate journalists submitted more than 3,400 entries in 39 categories across SPJ’s 12 regions.

The honorees were awarded certificates on March 29 during the Spring Conference at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Va. First place regional winners will advance to the national round of judging, which takes place next month. National winners will be announced in mid May.

The Society of Professional Journalists works to improve and protect journalism. The organization is the nation’s most broad-based journalism organization, dedicated to encouraging the free practice of journalism and stimulating high standards of ethical behavior.

Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, SPJ promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For more information on SPJ, visit www.spj.org.

General News Reporting • First Place: Kate Prahlad, University of Maryland, “Rural areas still expected to grapple with dial-up”• Second Place: Rick Docksai, University of Maryland, “Teacher/student ratio falls as funds grow”• Third Place: Kristi Tousignant, University of Maryland, “University officials under fire”

In-Depth Reporting • First Place: Elizabeth DeOrnellas & Stephanie Metzen, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Immigration Series” • Second Place: Eric Johnson & Joseph Schwartz, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Eyes of the Storm”• Third Place: Eric Roper, The George Washington University, “Series on Facebook Privacy Concerns”

Feature Writing • First Place: Alex Plimack, Towson University, “Evoking Screams on the Big Screen” • Second Place: Kristi Tousignat, University of Maryland, “Ashes to Ashe”• Third Place: Joseph Schwartz, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Marching into History”

Editorial Writing • First Place: The GW Hatchet Staff, The George Washington University • Second Place: The Ring-Tum Phi Staff, Washington and Lee University• Third Place: The Eagle Staff, American University

Editorial Cartooning • First Place: William Warren, Wake Forest University• Second Place: Michael O’Brien, University of Maryland• Third Place: no award

Sports Column Writing• First Place: Samuel J. Rosenthal, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill• Second Place: Jake Sherman, The George Washington University• Third Place: Kiel McLaughlin, Towson University, “In This Corner”

Best All-Around Daily Student Newspaper (published at least 4 times per week)• First Place: Staff, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, “The Daily Tar Heel”• Second Place: Staff, University of Maryland, “The Diamondback”• Third Place: no award

Radio News Reporting • First Place: Eric Schaffer, University of Maryland, “Good Samaritan” • Second Place: April Fehling, University of Maryland, “Election Day”• Third Place: Walter Storholt, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Distracted Driving”

Radio Feature• First Place: Becca Newell, University of Maryland, “Hookah” • Second Place: Shira Yudkoff, University of Maryland, “ROTC”• Third Place: Carla Babb, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “African American Firsts”

Radio In-Depth Reporting• First Place: Adam Rhew, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Davina Jones Shooting”• Second Place: Erin Ruberry, University of Maryland, “Homelessness” • Third Place: Yuk-Hang Ng, University of Maryland, “Going to Waste”

Radio Sports Reporting• First Place: Walter Storholt, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Running Blind”• Second Place: Adam Rosenbloom & Vishal Aswani, The George Washington University, “GW Women’s Basketball-2007 NCAA Tournament”• Third Place: Heather Bartholomew, University of Maryland, “Paintball”

Radio Newscast• First Place: Staff, University of Maryland, “Terp Weekly Edition”• Second Place: News Crew, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Carolina Connection” • Third Place: no award

Television Breaking News Reporting• First Place: Mark Olexik, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Crane Accident”• Second Place: Dawn Cherie White, University of Maryland, “Immigrant Social Security” • Third Place: no award

Television General News Reporting • First Place: Lauren Effron, University of Maryland, “Takoma Metro Package” • Second Place: Sara Huffman, University of Noth Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Hemlocks in Danger”• Third Place: Matilda Bode, University of Maryland, “Medicaid Reform”

Television Feature • First Place: Dawn Cherie White, University of Maryland, “Riversdale Slave History” • Second Place: Matilda Bode, University of Maryland, “Disabilities”• Third Place: Erin Franklin, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Honeybees”

Television In-Depth Reporting • First Place: Jennifer Carpenter, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Davina Jones” • Second Place: Carla Babb, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Dirty Old Well”• Third Place: George A. Jackson, IV, University of Maryland, “Immigrant Pay”

Television News Photography • First Place: Jennifer Carpenter, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “Davina Jones”• Second Place: Dawn Cherie White, University of Maryland, “Windsor Church Fire”• Third Place: Erin Brennan, University of Maryland, “Pedestrian Safety”

Best Affiliated Web site• First Place: Staff, University of Maryland, “Maryland Newsline”• Second Place: Staff, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “DailyTarHeel.com”• Third Place: Staff, The George Washington University, “The GW Hatchet Online”